


Endings and Beginnings

by Caliadragon



Series: Little Black Dress RT Challenge [6]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992), CSI: New York, Criminal Minds, Crossing Jordan, Hawaii Five-0 (2010), NCIS, NCIS: New Orleans, Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1
Genre: Abby Bashing, Abby Being an Asshole, Alternate Universe, Canon Child Deaths, Daniel is Daniel, David Family Assholery, Evil Ancients, F/F, F/M, GFY, Gen, Good Guy Leon Vance, Good Jennifer Sheppard, Jennifer Keller Bashing, Kate Lives and Will Kill You, M/M, Neither does Gibbs, Poor Universe, Rodney is Rodney, Sentinels and Guides are known, Strong Language, The Sheppard Family are all Badasses, Tim and Jimmy are glad that Kate and Brent Like them, Tony doesn't take your shit, Unbeta'd, Violence, Ziva Bashing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-06
Updated: 2016-09-06
Packaged: 2018-08-13 10:33:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7973659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caliadragon/pseuds/Caliadragon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Gibbs is injured and forced to retire Tony does what he always does, he follows his boss to cover his six. In the end they both end up with a new job, new allies, and the Sentinels they have waited for their whole lives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Endings and Beginnings

**Title** : Endings and Beginnings

 **Author** : Caliadragon

 **Fandom/Genre** : NCIS/SGA/Hawaii Five-0/Criminal Minds/CSI: New York/Crossing Jordan/BtVS

 **Relationship(s)** :Tony Dinozzo/John Sheppard, Jethro Gibbs/Anne Teldy, Rodney McKay/Ronon Dex, Patrick Sheppard/Jack O’Neill, David Sheppard/Miko Kusanagi, Daniel Sheppard(OMC)/Evan Lorne, Derek Sheppard(OMC)/Daniel Jackson, Charlie(Jon) O’Neill/Thomas Sheppard(OMC), Vala Mal Doran/Alex Sheppard(OMC), Timothy McGee/Michelle Lee, Caitlyn Todd/Brent Langer, Cameron Mitchell/Jimmy Palmer, Carson Beckett/Matthew Kindrick(OMC), Jonas Quinn/Jordan Cavanaugh, Ethan Lorne(OMC)/Xander Harris

 **Content Rating** : R

 **Warnings** : AU, Ziva and Abby bashing, Explicit Sexual Content, Character Deaths, Mentions of Canon Child Deaths, Guides and Sentinels are known, Kate Lives and will and kill you, Strong Language, Violence, Talk of Child abuse, Patrick Sheppard, Alex, Derek, and David Sheppard are badasses, Daniel and Thomas Sheppard are adorable, but can kill you with their brains. Rodney is Rodney and Daniel Jackson is Daniel Jackson, Poor Universe, McGee and Palmer are so glad that Kate and Langer like them.

 **Series:** Only the Strong

 **Summary** : When Gibbs is injured and forced to retire Tony does what he always does, he follows his boss to cover his six. In the end they both end up with a new job, new allies, and the Sentinels they have waited for their whole lives.

 **Author’s Note:** Gibbs and Tony have a strong relationship, but I am not kind to Abby, Ziva or Eli David, and I am not kind to Jennifer Keller either. This story was written for the Little Black Dress Challenge on the Rough Trade Challenge site you can go to my site http://www.caliadragon.wordpress.com to see the cast pictures, the full notes, and banner done for the story by PickingUpEllen.

 

**Prologue**

**NCIS Headquarters Washington DC: SWAK**

 

Tony was smirking at his teammates teasing them about his persona of a ladies man and watching Kate snort and Tim roll his eyes affectionately as they knew he was simply teasing. Tony was a Guide and while Guides were highly sexual people they were also very discerning about who they took to their beds.

Both Kate and Tim knew that Tony hadn’t been seeing anyone since things with Ari Haswari had begun to heat up. Gibbs had bassically moved Tony into his house since the apartment that Tony was living in was a dump and didn’t have the security that both Tim and Kate’s apartments had on them.

Only an idiot would think that crossing Jethro Gibbs to get to Tony would be a good idea. The older Guide was a force of nature and had no problem beating someone’s ass for coming near his Packmate.

That Tony’s living with Gibbs had made a few people, primarily, Abby angry had been an honest surprise, but had not changed the fact that the two men had been friends and packmates from the moment they met.

Gibbs and Malonia were the reason that Tony and Katonda had even joined NCIS. Tony and Kat had been the reason that Gibbs and Malonia had begun to heal from the loss of Gibbs wife, daughter, and father.

Gibbs’s families deaths were no secret, when they were murdered by a drug dealer Mike Franks, the NCIS on the case at the time, had immediately turned the case over to the Sentinel and Guide Protectorate and they had hunted the man without mercy. The drug dealer was dead before Gibbs made it back to the states to bury his family.

Tony still wasn’t certain why Abby felt personally betrayed by the fact that Tony and Gibbs were so close. It had never been a secret, including the fact that Gibbs was his best friend and father figure. No matter what anyone else thought about his and Gibbs relationship it had always been platonic and familial.

Tony froze as lifted the letter with the lipstick kiss on the outside of it. Darkness, rage, and sorrow echoed like a gunshot through Tony’s mind and he shuddered. “Probie get me a evidence bag! Kate call security and get one of the lab people up here. Now people, there is something seriously wrong with this envelope.” Tony snapped out. His words had Kate and Tim moving as ordered.

Tony turned to look at Gibbs, “Boss we need to clear this floor. I think this is a hazardous substance.”

Gibbs’s face darkened with fury and he climbed on his desk and started barking out orders. Soon everyone was out of the bull pin and the letter gathered to make sure what it was within its contents.

Nearly an hour later Abby was in the Director’s main meeting room, white faced and worried. “It was Y-Pestis. Someone sent us the Plague. If Tony hadn’t felt the Darkness of the letter he probably would have opened it and been exposed along with everyone else on the floor.” Abby bit her lip and looked over at Tony, who shrugged he could tell she wouldn’t have cared if it were just Tony.

It was no secret that Tony and Gibbs were Guides or that they were powerful ones or that Abby had developed a grudge against Tony. It had gone to the point that Tony rarely went near Abby. Kate usually went down to deal with her as she bullied Tim terribly and made him even more uncertain that he already was. Gibbs had just basically given up on understanding Abby’s behavior and moved on to treating her as another insubordinate, which honestly made things worse.

“I see, well we can be thankful given the circumstances that Tony is an Alpha Guide.” Tom Morrow, the Director of NCIS said calmly. Tom Morrow was not unaware of what was going on between his top team and his head forensic specialist, but wasn’t going to let Abby Sciuto get in the way of their work.

She was in for a rude awakening in a few months when Leon Vance took over as Director. The woman he wanted to take his place had had to decline due to being terminally ill. Jennifer Sheppard had only come back to DC to reconnect with friends and spend time with Ducky and Gibbs before she headed out to spend time in New Orleans with Dwayne Pride, who was one of her closest friends after Gibbs.

Jenny had had also come with information on Ari Haswari, mainly that he was a rogue Mossad Agent and the insane son of Eli David, the head of the Mossad.

Jenny had been very clear on the fact that she had a personal relationship with Eli David, which led to Leon admitting the same. Leon had requested and was granted a place for Eli’s daughter Ziva in NCIS if she helped bring down Ari.

The State Department had agreed as much of the information she had supplied had been proven true and helped save several teams in the few weeks she was working with them. However, despite what Ziva and Eli had expected Ziva David would not be put on Gibbs’s team. Ziva was also severely limited on what she could do in regards to investigations and her role in NCIS. She wasn’t a investigator or a US Citizen and therefore was mostly relegated to translating and aiding the Agency as a Analyst. If Ziva didn’t like it she could go back to Israel.

Leon and Jenny had agreed that it was a good idea. While they considered Eli and Ziva David to be friends of theirs both agreed that their duty was to the US and the protection of its people and the agents of NCIS.

It did not help that both Gibbs and Tony had rejected her before they even knew who she was. Tony had actually put her down and cuffed her as a threat the moment she walked into the bullpen at NCIS. He had grudgingly apologized when Tom had explained who she was, but Gibbs had flatout stated that his team was full and even if it weren’t there was no way he would work with someone so corrupt.

Tom had no choice but to place her on one of the other teams, though no one really wanted to work with someone that had been openly rejected by two Alpha Guides. Especially one like Tony who was suspected of being an Alpha Prime.

Gibbs wasn’t the only emotionally compromised Guide that Tony had helped heal emotionally and it had been noted by more than one person that he had a great many of the characteristics and kindness that Blair Sandburg, the current Alpha Prime of North America, and Daniel Messer, the current Alpha Prime of New York, had as they were waiting for their Sentinels.

“Do you have the evidence on who is responsible processing?” Leon Vance asked from where he was standing against the wall chewing on his ever present toothpick. Tony often wanted to ask him if they tasted like peppermint.

Abby nodded quickly, her pigtails moving with her. Leon nodded as well. “Good, my people will take over the hunt, just in case this was a threat against one of Gibbs’s team.”

Gibbs glared at Leon, but sighed and nodded at the man’s next words. “You already have your hands full with Ari and my personal connection to the David family means that it would be highly inappropriate for me to work the case.”

“Agreed, reluctantly, but agreed.” Gibbs said gruffly, causing Leon to smile slightly.

“Excellent. I’ve already warned the SecNav about what has happened. I’m sure you can guess what his reaction was to this situation so close after Ari’s infiltration.” Tom said, smirking slightly when everyone who had met the SecNav snorted. The man was probably about to kick someone in the throat.

“We will be getting better filters for incoming mail, along with the updated security measures. Jethro you and Leon will get together and come up with a plan to give our civilians better training. With your military background and Leon’s civilian the two of you will have a good idea on how to make the training complete, but not too overwhelming for our civilians.” Tom ordered.

Both Leon and Gibbs nodded, they both agreed that the training was needed. Especially in the wake of what had happened to Gerald when Ari had attacked.

“The civilian Sentinels will already have most of the training they need along with the bonded Guides, but the civilian Guides will need a bit more training. With Leon being a bonded Sentinel, it might be best of Anthony were to help with that part.”

Doctor Donald ‘Ducky’ Mallard spoke for the first time. “My new assistant could certainly use the training since he will be here until Gerald comes back. I would also feel better if Anthony were to take Mr. Palmer under his wing as it were. Jimmy has only been an online Guide for a few months and certain hostilities have been draining on the lad.” Ducky did not look at Abby, though she was one of the problems.

What most people did not understand was that Abby was jealous of not just Anthony but all Guides. It wasn’t just Abby though, it was also Ziva. For some reason the two women had become close friends quickly and had taken to bullying not just Jimmy, but also Timothy even though he was not a Guide. They were both smart enough not to try Caitlin, who would have ripped out their throats for it, but they had also started on a young Guide named Michelle Lee.

Ducky knew that the two women had been shocked when Ducky had immediately reported them for their actions. It had brought the Wrath of Gibbs down on them and was one more thing they were blaming Anthony for, though the dear boy had nothing to do with the trouble they had brought on themselves.

Ducky was also relieved to know that introducing Tony to Michelle had saved the young Guide from a dark future and someone who was threatening her. Tony had then introduced Michelle to a new agent names Brent Langer, a Sentinel who took protecting Michelle as a personal goal. Ziva and Abby had been stunned and then infuriated when Brent and Michelle were taken on to Gibbs’s team.

It meant that Gibbs had a team that was strictly Guides and Sentinels. Caitlin and Timothy were both Latent. Though Ducky had recently had a very interesting conversation with Anthony where he confided in Ducky that he felt that Timothy and Caitlin were on the cusp of coming online.

This was one of the reasons that Anthony encouraged Jethro into bringing Brent and Michelle on to the team. Anthony believed Timothy and Caitlin were not going to make it another month before they came online do to the stressors of being on the team.

“That’s a good idea Ducky. I have noticed that DiNozzo is good with training, even if he is a bit unorthodox.” Leon said, which made Tony blush slightly. 

Abby let out a small huff of breath, but didn’t say anything. Which was very good for her as no one in the room would have taken her behavior with any goodwill.

Tony suddenly jumped to his feet and took off running out of the room. When the others caught up with him, they could hear Tony once again snapping out orders. It seemed Fate had decided to make herself known. Kate and Tim were coming online.

“Fuck off Abby, go to your lab or somewhere else. Neither Kate or Tim need your negativity at the moment. All you are doing is hurting them and you know it.” Gibbs snapped out as he rushed to Tony and helped his friend place a shield around the two junior agents.

Abby watched him go in shock, even as Leon Vance glared at her and Director Morrow caught her arm and pulled her away. Even as they walked away, the area was once again being cleared out of everyone but Sentinels and Guides.

“Oh.” Michelle breathed shyly as Timothy reached out an took her hand. Tim was her Sentinel.

“You are standing too far away.” Kate grouched to Brent, who laughed slightly as he took her outstretched hand. They had known that Kate was his Guide, they were just waiting for her to come online.

At Tony’s urging they had both gone to the Protectorate and begun training together as well as getting bonding counseling so that it wouldn’t be such a shock to Kate mentally when she came online as Kate had no idea she was a latent Guide.

The tests had not come into being until the last ten years and so she had not been tested as a child and had not bothered as an adult as there were no Guides or Sentinels in her family. Her parents had been shocked and elated by the news. The rest of her family and their children had immediately gone to get tested and found that a good portion of them were latent or had latent children.

Kate had not told Abby, one because it wasn’t her business, and two because Kate was certain that Abby would tell Ziva and no one on Team Gibbs trusted the woman not to still be working with her brother at her father’s urging.

It had become habit very quickly for people not to say a word about their own abilities or information on cases around Ziva and Abby couldn’t talk to her about them due to the fact that she would lose her job and could potentially go to prison for it.

This had worked to isolate Ziva to a certain extent and since no one trusted her she was monitored more closely than she probably would have been otherwise. There was more than one person that was thankful for Tony and Gibbs being Guides.

“Well, I wasn’t expecting that!” Tony said as he looked at Gibbs, who shrugged and laughed slightly. “Shy and Awkward Probies for the win.”

Gibbs laughed openly at that, “It was your idea to bring them on the team.” Malonia reminded Tony as she huffed at him in amusement.

“True, but we thought we had more time before Tim came online and Michelle got comfortable with the team.” Kat protested as he leaned against Gibbs and nudged Malonia were she was perched on the arm of Tony’s chair.

“It’s probably better this way. At least Ari has gone underground for a while and we have time to work the other cases while we wait for the four to finish nesting during the next two weeks.” Malonia said as she rubbed the tip of one wing across Kat’s cheek. “We are used to working alone as a team.” She added, looking up at her humans. Both Gibbs and Tony smiled at the pair in amusement.

“I could help you both.”An accented male voice offered. Tony and Gibbs looked up to see Dwayne Pride and his Guide Christopher LaSalle who grinned back at them.

Kat lopped over to the two men and butted his head against both men and their Spirit Animals gently in greeting.

Everyone had been surprised by how fast Tony and Chris had become friends, but they were very close and Tony had deep respect from Dwayne ‘King’ Pride.

It probably helped that Tony treated Dwayne the same way he treated Gibbs, with respect and more than a little humor. Chris had a cheetah as well by the name of Ramses, and Dwayne had a polar bear named Thor. 

“That would be excellent. I know that we could use help with the stupidity that guy in the CIA that still won’t give us information on their agent that Lieutenant Kingsley reported for stalking him just before he was nearly killed last month.” Tony said, looking over to Gibbs, who smirked. Letting Dwayne lose on Agent Merrick would be like setting a tiger off on a chihuahua.

Tom Morrow snorted as he came back down the stairs. “I didn’t realize you needed a bomb instead of a wad of paper to deal with Agent Merrick.” Tom said causing Tony to grin boyishly and most of the people standing around to laugh.

“It’ll serve him right, the man’s an ass.” Gibbs said with a grin of his own.

“Very well, I’ll go talk to Agent Merrick.” Dwayne said with a smirk for Gibbs, who grinned in response.

“I could help with the computer stuff if you want.” Christopher offered with a drawl.

“Actually I was hoping you would go with Tony to talk to Doctor Spencer Reid over at the BAU. He called earlier in the day and told us that he had a profile ready on Ari. Kate and Ducky wanted an outside anaylsis on him since they feel to close to the situation to get a accurate profile on him for us.” Gibbs offered quietly as the three men got closer to him with Leon.

Chris nodded and looked to Tony who smiled. They both knew what Gibbs was doing, but Tony didn’t mind.

Gibbs was doing what he always did, trying to protect his people. Tony didn’t feel that Gibbs didn’t trust in his abilities, this was just one of Gibbs rules. The two younger Guides grinned at Gibbs and Chris gripped Dwayne’s wrist gently before the two Guides and their Spirit Guides walked away together. The cheetahs were chattering about the different places their humans had been and how they wanted to do  _ mardi gras _ together.

Once the pair were in the elevator and headed off to Quantico, Gibbs started snickering. “Those two are going to be trouble.” Leon said with a shake of his head, which set the other three men off into laughter.

 

**Gibbs’s Basement Three Weeks Later**

 

Ari Haswari looked into the cold eyes of Tony DiNozzo and smirked. “Do you think you can kill me Guide?” Ari said dismissively.

“You’re sister didn’t really do a good job profiling me Haswari. I have a predator for a Spirit Guide and Gibbs is my pack. You also tried to kill someone I care a great deal for and you killed someone I was coming to consider a good friend. Jenny may have already been ill, but that doesn’t mean you are going to get away with killing her.” Tony said his teeth bared in fury.

“Ziva really is quite useless when it comes to profiling people.” Dwayne said from where he was standing with a gun on Ari.

“You’re outmanned and outgunned Haswari, you can give up or you can die, but either way you aren’t killing anyone here.” Chris said from the left of Ari, his gun held steady on Ari.

“I have information the FBI and the CIA will not wish to let go, they will keep me alive and I will comeback.” Ari said with a sneer.

“Seriously? You really are stupid. Gibbs, Chris, and I are powerful Guides. The minute you touched Gibbs you lost any privacy you deserved.” Tony said as Katonda, Ramses, Malonia, and Thor growled and screamed out a cry of challenge.

Ari looked stunned and then furious. He tried to lung at Gibbs, only to have Katonda and Maloina attack, with Ramses and Thor on their hills. Ari was dead before he even had a chance to pull the trigger.

“We’ll send him back to Eli David.” Tobias Fornell said as he and Leon Vance came quietly down the stairs. Tobias’s Spirit Animal Jacobi, a St. Bernard, quietly went to Jethro and leaned against his old friend, while looking up at Malonia, checking that they were okay.

“At least it is over for now.” Jacobi said with a sigh.

 

**Chapter 01**

**NCIS: One Year, 8 Months Later**

 

“You should have sided with me Gibbs.” Ziva David said as she held a gun on Jethro Gibbs, her brown eyes glinting maliciously.

“I side with evidence David and you are acting prematurely, Ducky and Abby are still working to prove your guilt one way or the other. Doing this is only going to backfire on you.” Gibbs told her calmly. Malonia was unable to get close enough to attack Ziva without her shooting Jethro first.

“I do not believe you.” Ziva said calmly, before shooting Gibbs point blank in the chest.

Ziva barely had time to respond before Tony’s bullet hit her in the shoulder. Ziva hit the ground with a cry of pain, but Tony ignored her, his attention was on Gibbs. Kotanda pinned Ziva to the ground growling and keening for her packmate.

“Tony we have an ambulance on the way.” Kate said as she and Brent came into secure Ziva. Tony just nodded at the moment his attention was on keeping Gibbs from bleeding out.

 

**Sentinel/Guide DC Hospital, 4 Days Later**

 

“What did you just say?” Tony demanded in shock.

“Gibbs has been officially retired on the orders of the SecNav, since his injuries are so extensive and the situation with the David family so precarious he has decided Gibbs is expendable.” Director Leon Vance said as he crunched down on his toothpick, before yanking out and throwing into the trashcan.

“What you mean is that you don’t want it to get out that you gave Ziva more access to NCIS than she should have had and because of that a suspect died in her custody. Then before we could prove that she was innocent she shot the head of the MCAT unit and now to cover your asses your getting rid of Gibbs. It also conveniently means that you don’t have to deal with the complaints against her and Abby that Gibbs filed.” Tony spit out.

“I don’t like this anymore than you do DiNozzo and yes those complaints will be dealt with. I won’t have someone working for me that has no problem abusing Guides. As for Ziva I’m having her deported since I can’t get the SecNav to let me charge her with trying to kill a Guide as well as abusing and threats of intimidation against Guides and Sentinels.” Leon snapped out.

“I’m a Sentinel unless you have forgotten. As it is Jackie has already reported both of them to the Center on our behalves, I don’t want them working for me and this is beyond what I would ever allow. I probably won’t have my job by the end of the week, but I’ll be damned if I let this shit go on. I also plan to press charges against Davenport through the Protectorate.” Leon snapped back.

Tony took a deep breath and sat back down in his chair tiredly. “I’m sorry, it’s just... this sucks.”

“Yeah it does.” Leon said, sitting across from Tony and rubbing his face with in exhaustion. “I never thought that Philip would do something like this.”

Tony laughed weakly. “We’re in a precarious position overseas and Ziva keeps providing accurate information. Gibbs is someone who doesn’t take shit from anyone and there is no way he wouldn’t work to get her sanctioned by the Protectorate. He’s already in talks with the Alpha Prime of DC to have Abby sanctioned for what she tried to do to Jimmy and Michelle last month with her little emotion bomb.”

Leon frowned deeply and looked over to his puma Edward, who glared in response as he curled against Katonda. “I am really beginning to hate that woman.” Leon admitted.

“You and me both.” Tony said with a sigh. “You know I can’t stay if Gibbs isn’t there.” Tony said softly.

Leon grimaced but nodded, Davenport had no idea just what he had started by forcibly retiring Jethro Gibbs. NCIS was going to lose its top team due to this. Todd, Langer, and both McGee’s had already stated that they did not want to stay in the DC office without Gibbs.

Dwayne Pride had already called and chewed on Leon for ten minutes straight and offered to take Gibbs’s team in as a whole. They were all considering it, what was worse was that Ducky and Jimmy had offered to follow them.

“We’ll see what happens next and try to weather the Gibbs Storm when he wakes up and figures out what happened while he was unconscious.” Leon said, his voice holding a bit of humor over what Gibbs was going to do to Davenport when he woke up and found out what was happening.

Tony seemed to brighten. “He’s going to make a lot of people run away from him.”

Edward and Katonda laughed and Leon joined them.

“It’s certainly going to be worth watching,” Leon agreed.

 

**Chapter 2**

**Sentinel and Guide Hospital: Three Days Later**

 

Leroy Jethro Gibbs woke to the soft sounds of his best friend and packmate Tony DiNozzo, Jr. having a conversation with Gibbs’s Spirit Animal Malonia. It wasn’t a new occurrence so at first Gibbs wasn’t aware of the difference in his location.

Tony lived with Gibbs, sometimes he shared a bed with the younger man when the nightmares were too much to take. Or times when even living in a quiet neighborhood still had to much empathic noise for one or both of them to block out.

As with Gibbs and Tony, Katonda and Malonia were best friends and they enjoyed spending time with one another, especially when their humans were to busy working to interact with their Spirit Guides. In fact Malonia and Katonda had become friends before Gibbs and Tony recognized that the feelings they had for one another, friendship and  _ Pack _ , father and son, were shared by both of them.

Though to be honest it was only a few weeks before Tony and Gibbs realized their connection. All it took was the length of the case they first met on. It cost Tony his best friend and the woman he was engaged to be married to, but for Tony it was worth it.

Meeting Gibbs had also help Tony learn to understand how to control his new gifts better. It was how he knew of the duplicity of not only his former friend and partner, but also his former fiance.

As a pair of Alpha Guides they had connected fully and were able to solve not just their first case, but all of those that came after. Tony and Gibbs have very few unsolved cases. Gibbs was a force of nature, where Tony was a balm to the soul. Tony was a force of justice, but also deep well of compassion and peace. Together they helped people who needed them and stopped those that caused those they protected harm.

Adding Tim, Kate, Michelle, and Brent to the team never changed that, never changed Tony and Gibbs. Tony still lived in Gibbs’s home and so Gibbs wasn’t surprised to hear Tony talking to Malonia, but Gibbs was surprised that he felt dampened and tired. His chest also hurt and his throat felt raw and dry.

“You’re awake.” Katonda said, his voice happy, yet subdued from his normal babbling buoyancy.

“Thank god.” Tony said as he reached over and placed his hand on Gibbs’s left hand, smiling slightly as Gibbs curled their fingers together. Gibbs was concerned as he saw the pale drawn look on Tony’s face was or how worried both of Tony and Kat appeared.

When he looked up Malonia looked as tired as he felt, but also relieved to see him awake. “What-” Gibbs had to cut off when talking made him want to cough. Tony immediately gave him a spoon full of ice chips.

Once Gibbs had enough he tried to speak again. “What happened to David? How long have I been out? How bad are my injuries?” 

Tony smiled ruefully. “Well I shot her in the shoulder, Kat gave her a few bites to keep her contained until Kate and Brent took her into custody while I worked to keep you from bleeding to death before the EMTs got there to stabilize you while they brought you here to the SGH.” Tony took a deep breath and his hand tightened slightly.

“You’ve been out for a full week. They had to use several drugs that would cause you to stretch empathically while you were out so they put you in a coma while the healing and the meds worked their way through your system. Kat and I have been the only ones allowed near you and Malonia who weren’t medical personnel. Well actually Toby and Jacobi have been spelling when they wanted me to eat and take a shower. You know how irritating those two can be so I did what they wanted while Kat stayed and made Jacobi tell him stories.” Tony said making both him and Gibbs grin when Kat made a sound of pleasure.

“Jacobi tells the best stories.” Kat agreed.

Malonia smiled down at the young Spirit Guide. The secret about Katonda and about Christopher LaSalle’s Ramses was that they were not only Alpha Spirit’s, but they were also littermates and young Guides. Tony and Chris were the first humans that they were to Guide.

Jacobi, like Malonia, was a Old Spirit. They had both once carried another form, but had changed as humans evolved. Jacobi quite liked being a dog that was bred to help people, while Malonia would always be one who could fly free.

Malonia and Jacobi enjoyed Kat for his vibrancy and youth was a balm to the two eld spirits. Just as Tony and Kat amused and created a joy for their humans. Neither wanted to think what life would have been like had Tony and Katonda not come into their lives and chosen to stay with them.

“And my injuries?” Gibbs asked, deciding to focus on that first rather than demanding more information about Ziva David. He knew Tony, the younger man would give Gibbs the information he wanted, but as it was personal and caused them both harm, Tony would need to work his way up to the truth.

“They were pretty bad, but two days ago Patrick Sheppard arrived and brought his Guide General Jack O’Neill and a doctor that works for them in to see you. He managed to use some kind of doohickey on you and heal your injuries. Doctor Beckett said the residual pain should be gone once you are able to get and move around and he does one more slight healing with the doohickey again. Right now they were just waiting for the meds to finish going through you before they gave you another treatment.” Tony breathed out and pressed his forehead to their joined hands for a moment before sitting back up.

“Patrick has pretty much been making everyone fear him and Jack thanks to certain things happening while you were unconscious. It also brought Blair Sandburg and Jim Ellison here as well as the Primes from New York, and DC down on the former if the have their way SecNav.” Tony said with a sigh, coming around to Gibbs’s question about what happened to Ziva.

“What happened Tony?” Gibbs asked gently.

“The SecNav decided to save face by retiring you and not pressing charges against Ziva. Apparently kissing Eli David’s ass is more important than charging Ziva with the attempted murder of a Guide as well as all of her other shit. I went off on Leon, but he was as angry as I am and told me he was going to put his job on the line by having Ziva deported and officially sanctioned through the Protectorate and he’s pressed charges against Philip Davenport through them as well. While you were out they arrested Abby for emotional abuse of a Guide, threats against an unbonded Guide, and gross negligence towards a Sentinel that resulted in injury. There are probably going to be more charges laid against her, but that is just the beginning.” Tony explained, Gibbs snarled in fury and started to try to sit up.

“Easy Bossman. You need to be awake a little longer before you go destroy people. Also I need to eat first so I can keep up with Hurricane Gibbs. I may have also quit NCIS and Ducky, Jimmy, Kate, Brent, Tim, and Michelle may have followed us? Also Dwyane and Chris are here and Tobias is probably gloating along with Aaron Hotchner because they are trying to recruit everyone?” Tony babbled out quickly as he managed to get Gibbs to lay back down on the bed.

“Tony.” Gibbs breathed out in shock.

“Kat and I were only at NCIS because of you and the others are the same way. If it weren’t for you being our boss and friend most of us would have left a long time ago. Ducky was tired of the bureaucracy and is still angry over the fact that they put Gerald with another ME when he returned. You know he adores Jimmy like a son, but Gerald has been his lover and companion for years. If Abby had kept her mouth shut about their relationship they would never have been separated, though they weren’t field rated so I never understood why they were kept apart.” Tony said with a genuine smile.

“Right, okay. We’ll figure this out.” Gibbs promised, which made Tony relax further.

“Tony, even if they undo my retirement I’m not sure I can go back to NCIS. They’ve broken our trust one to many times. I realize that Leon’s hands have been tied, but they should have gotten rid of Abby long ago and it shouldn’t have taken me making formal complaints for Abby and Ziva to be dealt with.” Gibbs said grimly.

Tony nodded, “I’ve got your six Boss.”

Gibbs smiled as Katonda chirped his agreement. No matter what else happened Gibbs knew that Tony would always be on his side.

“So Patrick and Jack are kicking asses then? The Alpha Primes have all waded into it?” Gibbs asked as Tony gave him some more ice chips and he settled back down. Gibbs was relieved that the medical staff was leaving him along with Tony, Katonda, and Malonia for right now. They were helping him more than any Doctor or Nurse could at the moment. Soon though, soon people would understand why Gibbs was considered a bastard even though he was a Guide.

“Yeah, I mean Patrick still thinks of us as family apparently since we killed Ari to protect you and avenge Jenny. The fact that he hates both Eli and Ziva David is just added to his ire. Apparently we are considered to be national treasures, no I am not exaggerating, due to all of the good work we have done, including taking out three terrorist groups and solving so many cases. So the Primes are going crazy on everyone on your behalf. When President Hayes heard that the whole team quit along with Ducky, Gerald, and Jimmy he nearly had a melt down. From what Tobias said they are hoping that we don’t leave government service all together and I know that the FBI wants us to take over that cross terrorism unit that would be working with the BAU on domestic terrorism.” Katonda answered for Tony as Tony took a drink of water.

“Dwayne came to make sure no one picked at us and to make sure that Tony and Kat were well cared for. They guarded Kat and Tony when we were able to get them from the room. Before that Leon and Edward stayed with them.” Malonia told her human, who reached up and ran his free hand through her feathers, she smiled at him gently in response.

“We’re not sure if Ziva has someone here who would have no problem taking one of us out until this is fully dealt with. I know that something is happening with the Mossad that no one will tell me about, but I have a feeling that Eli David isn’t in charge anymore.” Tony admitted after a moment of silence. Tony knew that Gibbs would want to know why everyone felt the need to guard Tony in the most protected and guarded hospital in Washington, DC.

“His son killed a woman who was considered to be the next Director of NCIS had she not been terminally ill and was supposed to be a friend of Eli’s, as well as being a Guide herself. Now his daughter tried to kill a Guide, the same one that his son tried to kill. I’m not surprised that Mossad would be kicking him to the curb, they are usually taught to revere and protect Guides, whether they have the Sentinel or Guide gift themselves or not. To have both of his offspring found guilty of killing, threatening, and injuring Guides. Yeah, no way they are going to forgive that.” Gibbs said with a snort, making Tony grin weakly and nod.

“Yeah and Davenport is being looked over with a fine tooth comb for not wanting to get rid of her. Leon is doing his best to help everyone and generally being the hardass asshole that we know and work to drive crazy.” Tony agreed, making Gibbs laugh slightly, but grab his chest at the pain it caused. Apparently they meds had stopped working.

Tony’s eyes widened slightly and with long standings practice blocked Gibbs’s pain for him. It was something they were both accustomed to doing as neither dealt well with the pain medications, even the ones designed to help Guides.

“Let me call in the Doctors and Nurses. They need to look you over anyway so you can make people run away from you.” Tony told Gibbs, who laughed slightly and nodded. Gibbs was thankful to Tony for learning how to block the pain for him. Tony had learned first and then had shown Gibbs how to do it. From there they had started teaching the other Guides they knew.

Leon and Ducky had both been right when they said that Tony was good at teaching Guides. Even Spencer Reid, the Alpha Prime of DC, had come to Tony for training once he had learned some of the things Tony was teaching.

Tony was very good at taking care of Guides and it was a reason more than one person thought that Tony was an Alpha Prime. Gibbs though, he knew that Tony was a Prime, but he was also a Shaman. Gibbs and Tony kept that between themselves as they had never trusted NCIS not to abuse Tony had it come out. Now, well, now they were going to learn never to mess with Jethro Gibbs and those that he called his own.

Tony looked worn down and pale, he looked broken and felt to much of relief and the vestiges of fear. There was a reason Tony and Leon called him a Hurricane and Philip Davenport was about to be blown away and his foundations ripped apart and flung in all directions.

 

**Sentinel and Guide Protectorate: Two Days Later**

  
  


Tony stood off to the side and behind his friend Jethro Gibbs and waited to see how he would handle the gathered people. It was telling that Philip Davenport, Ziva’s father Eli David, and Abby’s lawyer Matthew Kindrick were on one side of the table by themselves. They had wanted to have Abby and Ziva with them, but Blair Sandburg had nearly had a stroke yelling at them for their stupidity and Jim Ellison had threatened to gut everyone if they didn’t stop upset his Guidel. As everyone believed Jim Ziva and Abby had been kept from the meeting.

At left end of the table were Leon Vance, Tom Morrow, Admiral AJ Chegwidden, the head of JAG, and Commander Harmon Rabb. The fact that they were either Sentinels and Guides or trusted by Tony and Gibbs was lost on no one.

At right was President Hayes, Patrick Sheppard and his Guide Brigadier General Jack O’Neill, Doctor Carson Beckett, who had treated Gibbs wounds, and Colonel Cameron Mitchell, and a man that had been introduced as Doctor Daniel Jackson. Tony was fascinated with the man’s psionic signature and Katonda kept going over and demanding Daniel’s attention. While confused the Doctor kept petting Katonda like he requested.

On Tony and Gibbs side of the table were the Alpha Primes of North America Blair Sandburg his Sentinel Jim Ellison, the Alpha Primes of DC Doctor Spencer Reid and his Sentinel Doctor David Rossi, the Alpha Primes of New York Doctor Daniel Messer and his Sentinel Donald Flack Jr., and surprisingly the Alpha Primes of Hawaii Daniel Williams and his Sentinel Steven McGarrett, as well as Tobias Fornell, and Dwyane Pride and Christopher LaSalle. All of their Spirit Animals were glaring at the side were Davenport and his group of morons were sitting.

Though they kept circling the room and every time Katonda moved away from the protected side one of them followed him and made sure to look threatening to Davenport’s group.

Blair Sandburg’s Wolf Guide Tyee made sure to never let the young Spirit Guide out of his sight. While Jim’s own Leopard Guide Conall was having far too much fun glaring at the enemies of his people and causing them to shift in terror every time Kat moved.

Jim knew he wasn’t the only person in the room that was enjoying the reactions of Davenport and David. He just felt sorry for Kindrick the man had no idea what he was in for.

Gibbs was looking to blow and Tony DiNozzo was the only one who could have reined him in and DiNozzo had no intention of saying anything. Tony, who Jim knew to be as happy and babble prone as his Spirit Guide, hadn’t said a word since they had entered the room.

That was worrying everyone that knew him and seemed to be adding to Gibbs’s rage. Finally Gibbs snapped. “Doctor Jackson I would take it as a personal favor if you would please come sit by Dwayne. You are extremely compelling psionically and while Kat and Tony are utterly fascinated by you they are also very raw at the moment and they do not want you anywhere near Davenport.” 

Daniel blinked in confusion, but after a brief glance at the men he had come with Daniel gamely stood and moved to sit by Dwayne and Chris, who both relaxed when the man sat beside him and Kat chirped happily. That Ramses joined Daniel made several stare at Daniel in confusion.

“Right let’s get to the point here because I want you assholes out of here and away from Tony as soon as possible. No I am not dropping charges against Ziva and Abby, yes I have proof which I have already given to both Tobias and Rossi. I will not be going back to NCIS, you dropped charges against the woman who shot me, who gave her brother the information that led to the death of a dear friend and given the chance she would have taken Tony from me. I’m just lucky that Tony was late for dinner because of the work he was doing at the Protectorate.” Gibbs began blunt and to the point as usual.

“She came to my house to kill Tony, yes she was innocent of killing the suspect, but she never should have been allowed near a suspect. That was your doing Davenport, this was all your doing.” Gibbs snapped out as Philip started to talk and try to deflect some of the blame onto Leon Vance.

“Yes Leon asked for her to join NCIS, but he wanted her on a desk and only on a desk giving us the information that she had from the Middle East, the only time she was to go in the field was to confirm information given by suspected terrorists who had been captured.” Gibbs growled out.

“You Davenport, you demanded that she be given more access to NCIS and were trying to get her American Citizenship. When she and Sciuto started the terror campaign in earnest against the Guides and Sentinels of NCIS you refused to let Leon fire them.” Gibbs continued to talk over Philip who finally he shut up as he realized that Gibbs wouldn’t stop talking.

“They figured out a way to blast emotions at Guides, Sciuto seriously endangered not one, but a dozen Sentinels by not containing her chemicals. That, if you didn’t realize, also endangered several cases with the mishandling of evidence.” Gibbs spat the words out and Chegwidden and Rabb both glared at Davenport because they were actually here to charge him with obstruction of justice for protecting the women for so long.

“You betrayed not only your oath, but the promise made to every Sentinel and Guide that works for NCIS and serves in the Navy and Marines. That would be enough to piss me off.” Gibbs said his voice growing quieter with rage.

“What really pissed me off is the fact that Tony was injured by all of this, he felt me code twice, he felt the overwhelming  _ Evil and Corruption _ of Ziva David as Kat held her down. He has lived on the edge for over a week terrified that I was going to die. Then you come in here with that corrupt motherfucker Eli David knowing that Tony was going to be here? There is no forgiveness for that. There is no going back from hurting Tony. As far as I’m concerned you are Shunned from ever being around me, Malonia, Tony, Katonda, or any member of our Tribe and personal Pack.” Gibbs smiled in vicious glee as every Sentinel and Guide in the room stood and fanned out on either side of Gibbs and Tony. Including Leon Vance and Edward his Spirit Guide. Even Matthew Kindrick stood and walked away from the men a look of genuine shock and horror on his face.

“What the fuck have you done?” President Hayes demanded of the man he had trusted to be the Secretary of the Navy.

“Nothing. This is a huge mistake.” Philip stuttered out.

Eli David sneered. “What is so special about Anthony DiNozzo?”

Blair stared at the man coldly, making Eli swallow nervously. “If he had not sworn loyalty to me and wasn’t unbonded Tony DiNozzo would be the Alpha Prime of North America, he also happens to be a Shaman.”

Shock rippled through everyone in the room, including the Sentinels and Guides. “That is what is so special about Tony DiNozzo. You have attempted to damage one of the most respected Guides in the Sentinel and Guide community and I guarantee that the Shunning will be spread fully through our community. I’ll make sure of it.”

Blair was usually a kind and gentle man who was willing to forgive, but not this. Not these people who had allowed so many to be injured and damaged, who had allowed a woman who aided in the death of a Guide to be given comforts and forgiveness in the face of her evil. Nor would he forgive the fact that they allowed Abigail Sciuto to wage a war of terror on his people.

“We’re done here. Davenport you’re fired. David you have 24 hours to get out of the US or I will have you charged with anything I can get away with. Get the fuck out of my sight you ignorant assholes.” Philip Davenport swallowed as he stood quickly, Eli followed him. Both men knew Henry Hayes and the man  _ did not _ swear that he had done so several times in the last few minutes made it clear he would follow through with his threat.

“If you will excuse us Mr. President there are people who would like to speak to Mr. Davenport.” Harmon Rabb said as he stood.

Henry raised an eyebrow and nodded.

Harmon motioned at the silent Secret Service Agents who had been standing in the background keeping to themselves. Except for the three that had glared at Davenport and David as their Alpha Prime Shunned them.

One of the Agents opened the door and a group of Military Police came into the room and moved to Philip Davenport. “Mr. Philip Davenport you are under arrest for obstruction of Justice and the willful negligence of injury against Sentinels and Guides. More charges will follow with the full investigation of your activities.” A.J. Chegwidden said coldly.

That Davenport was being arrested shocked several, but for Tony it was a worry. Once the MPs had left with Davenport A.J. and Rabb turned their attention to Kindrick since Eli David had been removed from the room at the same time that Davenport was being removed from the room.

“You’re client is looking at severe charges Mr. Kindrick including the mishandling of evidence in the commission of a crime against a Sentinel.” A.J. began.

“No.” Tony said, speaking for the first time since he entered the room.

Gibbs turned to Tony and gave his friend his full attention. Tony often saw things that Gibbs didn’t when he was angry. Gibbs wanted Abby charged with every crime they could think of and he wasn’t the only one.

“What do you mean?” Rabb asked, he had worked with Tony enough to know that Tony had amazing insight into things that other people missed. And Harm believed that even if he weren’t a Guide Tony would be that way.

“We can’t charge her with mishandling evidence.” Tony said just as quietly.

“Why the hell not?” A.J. asked in confusion.

“She’s handled evidence for some of the worst crimes that NCIS is responsible for solving. People that are definitely guilty. If you place those kinds of charges against her every case she has been a part of will be subject to scrutiny, there are people who could walk free even though they are definitely guilty.” Tony paused as the words sank in and everyone paled.

Gibbs cursed under his breath, that was one thing he hadn’t really thought through though he felt stupid for not thinking of it.

“Also let’s face it the charges she is facing for her assault on the Sentinels and Guides hold more weight than the charges she would face for mishandling evidence. She’s already facing 25 to 50 years for her crimes, what good would it do to charge her with something that would have at most 5 years? No this is something we have to let go. Even with her actions Abby never fully compromised a case. No one innocent was charged, no one guilty walked free. No matter our personal feelings this is something that just has to fall by the wayside.” Tony made a face at the thought of it, but he was more worried about what would happen if Abby were charged with a crime in regards to her forensic work.

“We can’t charge Ziva David with those crimes either.” Harm said in contemplation.

“No, but again she shot Gibbs and caused harm to Sentinels and Guides those charges are worse than what she could be charged with in regards to her work at NCIS. Do you really think she’ll ever make it out of a prison? JAG doesn’t have to charge either of them, they’ll never see the outside of a prison with the full charges brought against them.” Tony pointed out and Harm nodded in agreement.

“It’s different with Davenport, he never handled cases with NCIS, he was just an asshole who was covering his own ass while he kissed Eli David’s.” Chris said from his place by his Sentinel and Daniel.

“True. I agree we won’t press charges against the women, we’ll let the Protectorate deal with them.” AJ said looking over at Kindrick, who nodded his silent agreement. Though he wasn’t sure if he would be handling this case much longer. Matt couldn’t believe he allowed himself to be fooled into thinking Abby was innocent of the charges against her.

“If you will excuse me I will go let my client know of this development and that the charges already pressed against her will not be dismissed.” Matt said as he gathered his briefcase.

“Of course.” Blair said warmly, he held nothing against the man, he was simply trying to do his job as well as help out a woman he thought of as a friend.

Once Matt was out of the room Tony sat down and sighed. “I feel sorry for that guy. We could have been him if we weren’t Guides.”

Gibbs nodded at his friend. “It wasn’t until we started doing things she didn’t like that we learned just how manipulative Abby could be.” Gibbs agreed.

Tony nodded as well and then turned his attention to Daniel and cocked his head to the side. “You are really interesting. I like you and I think of you like Gibbs which is weird because we just met and haven’t really talked.” Tony murmured even as Kat leaned against Daniel and looked up at him adoration.

“Um, I’m not a Guide.” Daniel said with a flush, he wouldn’t admit it, but Daniel liked the attention and he really liked the Spirit Animals.

Jack grinned because Spirit Animals and Guides freaking adored Daniel and it had increased since Daniel descended. Jack loved his friend and had a feeling there was something in Daniel that should have been awake for a long time.

“Oh, you are a Guide. There’s just something clogged up in you.” Tony said as he leaned forward and looked deeply at Daniel.

“We could unclog it!” Ramses said with a hum of joy.

“Yes! Please, please can we?” Kat begged as he stood his tail lashing back and forth with excitement.

Daniel made a choked sound a deep feeling of relief rolling within him. “You would do that for me?” He asked in a near whisper.

Jack’s face went slack with shock and fury. “Those fucking Ancients.”

“Jack!” Patrick said sharply, reminding his mate of just where they were.

“We’ll talk about aliens later, right now we have to help the Guide.” Ramses said his own tail lashing in excitement.

Patrick, Jack, Daniel, Cameron, and Henry groaned as they realized that aliens had just been outed. Those not in the know were gaping in surprise.

Malonia and Jacobi shared a sigh.

“Children.” Jacobi said as he shook his head.

The other Spirit Guides just laughed.

 

**Author’s Note: I made a huge change in the last chapter that I went back and edited, including on my cast pictures because Jack has always been the Guide between he and Patrick because every time I tried to write him as a Sentinel in this I stalled out so I went with my first plan and wrote him as a Guide.**

**Also I chose Sean Bean as Patrick because Keira chose Viggo Mortensen and I didn’t want to copy her so I decided to do the LOtR’s shuffle and took one of my other favorite actors from that series and made him Patrick.**

 

**Chapter 3**

**Sentinel and Guide Protectorate**

 

“You weren’t supposed to say anything about that.” Tony said in amusement as he reached over and gently patted Katonda and Ramses. Both Guides chirped at him in excitement.

“Why not, all of the Guides knew and we need to unclog him.” Kat said as he wiggled closer to Daniel, who ran a gentle hand over Kat’s head.

Tony laughed slightly, the first genuine laugh he had let out since this whole thing began. There was a part of him that was waiting to breakdown in tears, but that part of him would have to wait for a while, right now he had a Guide that needed his help and then he needed to figure out what he and the others were going to do next.

“Right, let’s get started. I’m going to need all of the Guides to help me and I need all of the Sentinels to step out of the room with everyone else.” Tony decided after looking at Daniel one more time.

Tony just went stone faced when more than one person began to protest.

“Shut the fuck up.” Gibbs said in a conversational tone that meant nothing good for anyone.

“Tony is going to be using us as a focus and stretching himself greatly. None of you are his Sentinels and as he is unbonded you will only harm him.” Malonia said calmly, Blair just gave them all a look that meant business and they would suffer for staying.

“Out you go. Seriously you idiots, we’re not leaving the room, it only has one exit and you will be outside of it. Steven I will make your life miserable if you don’t stop pouting at me and march your pretty ass out of this room.” Danny Williams said with narrowed eyes.

Steve was up and out of the room almost instantly, his Guide was an awesome person, but also very good at making someone miserable.

Proving that they were smart men, David Rossi and Patrick Sheppard were already up and moving out the door with the President and Tom Morrow. Cameron had been on their heels almost immediately.

If there were three men who knew the meaning of the word geek warfare it was the three Sentinels, Jack may pretend not to be a major brain, but Cameron had called bullshit on that since he met his commanding officer and even if he wasn’t Jack O’Neill had been terrorizing the universe with Jackson at his side for too many years not to fear his wrath.

The rest of the Sentinels followed at the threat of misery from a group of Guides, most of whom could take over the world if they wanted too and the others that were mean enough to help.

Once the door was closed Tony took a deep breath. “Right so I’m going to basically break the clog inside of you and then all of the Guides are going to help stabilize you, you’ve been a Guide all of your life, an Alpha Guide at that. Unfortunately, something has been blocking you from accessing your gifts fully during that time. Sometime more recently you had that clog reenforced and your gifts permanently dampened.” Tony paused and grimaced.”

I’m guessing that whatever caused it was done by the Ancients when you descended. Which man those guys are assholes and they have no right to be fucking around in the Spirit Plane the way that they are.” Tony babbled out before reaching over and gently taking Daniel’s hand.

“I knew it!” Jack exclaimed and narrowed his eyes at the automatic denial that Daniel wanted to make. Daniel stopped though and frowned thoughtfully.

“Would this clog have removed my memories and some of my abilities?” Daniel asked quietly.

“Yes.” Blair answered for Tony when the other Guide looked at him in question.

“Right I would love to have this clog removed so I can cuss some people out.” Daniel decided which made Ramses and Kat chirp happily, while the rest of the group laughed or grinned in response.

Tony closed his eyes and breathed in then out and slowly pressed his empathy into Daniel deeply. Tony felt Kat move to him and Tony placed his free hand on his Spirit Guide, making it easier to press inward and remove the clog blocking Daniel’s abilities making it so that he seemed to be a Psy-Null.

As Tony removed the block he wanted to kill the Ancients for what they had done to this man and to Jack. What he and the others saw as they put a net over Daniel and then Jack with their gifts as the truth and memories flowed back and forth through the two men and each of the Guides was enough to nearly send every Guide feral.

Once they were sure both men were stable they pulled back and looked to the newest Cheetah in the room. “Hello Isis.” Daniel choked as he sank to his knees and hugged his Spirit Animal for the first time since he was a child. Daniel sobbed brokenly as he hugged her close.

“Hello Danny.” Isis chirped as she cuddled close to her human.

Patrick rushed into the room and to his mate, eyes wide as he realized that every Guide in the room was burning with rage, even as Daniel clung to his Spirit Guide. “Jack? Jack, what happened?” Patrick asked as he slowly approached his mate, cautious over so much rage burning in the room from the Guides.

“Those fuckers! Those fuckers, Daniel came online when he was a small child and they came and blocked his memories and abilities, then caged Isis so that they could use him to open the Gate and set people in motion to clean up their fuck ups. They  _ killed _ his parents.” Jack said fury wringing out of him.

“Oh god.” Cameron said, horror filled the room and Cameron wanted to kill something because he knew how Daniel had suffered after his parents died, how Daniel still suffered with their loss.

“Patrick, Derek is his Sentinel. They denied him his Sentinel when he refused to stay with them.” Jack breathed out painfully.

Patrick nearly fell to his knees. Derek was Patrick’s nephew, Derek and his brother had lived with Patrick and his sons since the boys were very young and Patrick’s brother and sister-in-law died in a mugging gone bad. Patrick and his wife Patricia had adopted both boys as their own.

All of Patrick’s boys had come online young, just after John, his oldest son, came home to find their mother being killed by an intruder. John had gone feral and killed the man at all of 18 years old. The others had followed in a cascade movement.

Patricia had lived, but Patrick and Patricia had also come online in response to the boys all coming online and they had realized that while they loved one another they weren’t meant to be. She was a Sentinel too and because of her fragile state they had done a search for her mate as soon as they possibly could. Remarkably one of the Guides that had come to that first emergency search had been Patricia’s mate.

Patricia and Billy and their Spirit Animals had moved into the new house that Patrick had brought so that his sons and his ex-wife never had to step foot in the place that caused them all so much trauma.

Once their youngest sons Daniel and Thomas started high school Patricia and Billy and their Spirit Animals Evan and Ira, both Irish Setters, decided to go traveling for a few months. Unfortunately the pair were killed in a ferry accident six months later while trying to get home. Their deaths were especially hard on John who came back from being held prisoner in Afghanistan only to find out he had lost his mother and stepfather.

By the time John and David had joined the military the boys had gone through extensive searches, but none of them had met their mates. It wasn’t until John ended up in the Star Gate program and David followed that any of them began to meet their mates. So far the only members of the family that hadn’t bonded were John and Derek.

Now Patrick found out that Derek and Daniel had been denied their bond. It was sickening and infuriating at the sametime. It was almost as bad as the fact that they had nearly tricked Thor into thinking that Jack’s clone was a new spirit rather than learning that the Ancients had stolen his son Charlie’s Spirit from the Spirit Plane. It might have worked if it were not for the fact that Charlie was a Guide and his Spirit Animal, a Jackal named Ethne, had followed Charlie back to the Mortal Plane.

It made Thor work twice as hard to save Charlie and make sure that the Ancients were not able to supplant Charlie’s memories with those of his father, though Charlie had been given enough of his father’s memories and aged in such a way that Charlie could not go back to being a young child.

Sarah O’Neill had ended up joining the Star Gate Program to be close to her child and ex-husband, who she had become very close friends with. It was Sarah that realized that Patrick was Jack’s Sentinel and that Patrick’s son Thomas was Charlie’s, who now went by Jon.

Now once again the Ancients were playing in the lives of his family and Patrick Sheppard was damned if that was going to keep going on. “They will pay for what they have done.” Tony hissed bringing everyone’s attention back to the Alpha Shaman, his green eyes were narrowed with fury.

A fury that gained focus when Oma Desala and several other Ancients arrived. “What have you done?” Oma demanded.

“What was right! You had no business messing with Daniel or denying him his Spirit Animal or his Sentinel.” Tony said as he moved to stand in front of the others, he was going to destroy the Ancients.

They were not going to get away from this, because while everyone else had seen what they had done to Daniel and Derek, he had seen all of the other Sentinel and Guides they had denied their mates. Tony had  _ seen _ his Sentinel and knew that the Ancients had denied Tony his mate, but also all that John Sheppard had suffered thanks to the Ancients and their repugnance.

“You have no idea what you are talking about Tau'ri.” One of the men said with a sneer.

Tony laughed, it was cold and a call to War, Gibbs was immediately at his Shaman’s side. “You are a fool. The only reason you were allowed to Ascend is because of the children you brought with you. All of those children have been reborn. Some were killed on Sedata, but again they have all been reborn. Daniel’s family and friends who ascended on Abydos, they’ve all been reborn, all that is left of the Ancients is the corrupted and desperate that are barely clinging to the Spirit Plane.” Tony said with a soft growl.

“You couldn’t keep Daniel ascended or with his memories because he had started to figure out just what you are. You set the Ori on Earth and made Daniel believe that it was his fault. Merlin and Morgana were trapped the way that they were because you couldn’t let them go about telling everyone what you assholes really were.” Blair added as he came to stand at Gibbs and Tony’s side.

“It wouldn’t do for all of those bright minds, those young Guides, that you have been tricking and trapping for eons with ascension so that you could remain on the Spirit Plane passing on the truth of your lies and keeping others from coming into power that would see you stopped.” Reid said quietly as came to stand beside Blair.

“You are actually worse than the Ori, because at least people know that have to follow them or die. You are just a bunch of pricks who destroy more and at least the Ori don’t destroy the Sentinel and Guides on planets by suppressing them completely. They just flat out kill them instead of making them hollowed out slaves.” Danny Messer said as he took his side next to Gibbs.

“You have no true idea what Guides are or what Shamans and Primes are, you have no idea what it means to make us your enemies. Gibbs is a Alpha Guide Guardian to a Alpha Prime Shaman. In fact every Guide in this room that isn’t a Prime is an Alpha Guide Guardian. So you really fucked things up when you touched Daniel, because he is an Alpha Guide Prime Shaman, but you knew that, you know that Christopher is close to reaching the same power.” Danny Williams said with a supremely unimpressed look on his face as he came to stand by Danny Messer.

“I guess we can be thankful that I came online and bonded with King on the same day. You assholes have been doing your best to suppress our people since before Jackson came online. Interestingly enough he’s the only one clogging worked on, but then again it took a shitload of you assholes to block him so maybe that’s why it kept failing.” Chris said as he took his place at Danny Williams side.

“It would certainly explain some of the things that happened on Atlantis and how many Guides wavered before fully coming online.” Carson agreed glaring at the Ancients. “It would also explain why Rodney and Elizabeth were nearly forced into ascending and why Rodney immediately demanded a shield be placed to keep you all out and why Atlantis herself provided it before we could find a solution to keeping you out. His hatred of you has always been there, but after nearly ascending he practically went feral with it. Though he couldn’t tell us why.”

“See you really should have left Dannyboy alone. Hurting my Space Monkey is the worst and last thing you fuckers will ever have done.” Jack O’Neill said with a vicious smile.

Danny being an Alpha Prime Shaman certainly explained the all consuming need that Jack had to protect the man from the moment they met, the aching hollow when Jack had to leave Daniel behind on Abydos and the way he had nearly faded in his grief during the time Danny was ascended.

It was why the PTB had to give Jack the Mountain when they promoted him. Jack could not, would not leave Daniel and the Powers That Be knew that they couldn’t force an Alpha Guide of Jack’s standing to move if he didn’t want too.

His friends and teammates Samantha Carter and Teal’c understood for their connection to Daniel was just as profound. When Daniel was found alive, even though he had no memory, Jack had ended up holding Sam while she sobbed for hours over the relief of having him back. Jack had found something strong enough that it would give Teal’c a bit of a challenge as he destroyed it during the time the big guy worked through both his loss and his relief at having their friend back.

Jack knew it wasn’t just the team that had struggled with Daniel’s loss or had been greatly relieved to have Danny back. Everyone who knew him had mourned him and then celebrated his being alive. Jonas Quinn had only stayed on earth at Daniel’s urging. Now Jack knew why Jonas was an Alpha Guide Protector.

The man was currently on Atlantis following Rodney McKay around and poking at the universe making McKay explain it to him. Jack snorted mentally, for reason he still couldn’t figure out those two got on like a match and gasoline. John Sheppard routinely sent Jack updates about how many people they had scared in a week. It was one of the things he read to make the paperwork days better.

“What can you possibly do to us?” The second man to come with them asked in a condescending way.

“This.” Tony said as every Guide in the room clasped hands and then connected to every Guide on the planet as one they sent their Spirit Animal’s onto the Spirit Plane.

The Ancients and the Ori never stood a chance.

What people didn’t understand about the Spirit Plane was that it connected people across universes, across all racial and societal barriers. What one Guide knew another could find out. That was why Spirit Guides were there, they helped Guides learn to block out thoughts and emotions they were not to know.

That was why Sentinels existed to give Guides a reason not to slip back into the Spirit Plane for good. To give the Guides and their Spirit Guides mates and kin. In return the Sentinels were given gifts to protect their Guides. The enhanced senses and the need to protect the Tribe were ingrained in the Sentinels.

The Sentinel was meant as a grounding force for the Guide to keep them in the Mortal Plane. It was why Sentinels did not like the Spirit Plane, it was why they didn’t go there and why they didn’t like their Guides spending a lot of time there.

Zoning was different as the Sentinel was forced there by one of their senese going out of control or due to emotional trauma. It was a place they retreated to only when forced and in need of aide. That was why Guides, especially a Sentinels True Guide, could bring the Sentinels out of zone so easily.

Of course there were those that were corrupt, but they did not keep their powers long as the Spirit Animals would reject them and leave. This was the case with Abigail Sciuto. She hated Tony as he was the example of what she should have been. Ziva and Ari should have been a Guide and a Sentinel, but their father made sure that would never happen.

Ari was driven into deep insanity and was better off dead than to live his life with what he would never be able to access thanks to his father’s greed and ambition. The torture of being a empath exposed to the evil and horrors he experienced as a deep undercover operative.

Ziva was like her father and had more of a hand in driving her brother insane than most would ever know. That was why she had never come online, why her Spirit Animal left her. There was a moment when she could have helped her brother, when she could have taken him to the Protectorate and gotten him treated for the dysphoria he was suffering from. Instead Ziva chose to let her brother fall into insanity. Ziva David would pay for her crimes and she would pay dear. No Guide would allow any other outcome.

Across the Universes Guides Awakened, including those that were suppressed by the actions of the Ancients and Ori. Sentinels followed, many already knowing their Sentinels or close to where they would be.

As Oma Desala was fading she reached out gently and touched Daniel’s cheek. “I knew you would be the one to save us Daniel. I am sorry for all that has been done to you. Beware Daniel, the Wrath are a danger to everyone, not just those in Pegasus. There are hives in this Universe, they will awaken soon. Guides and the Sentinel Protectors are needed now more than ever.” Oma smiled gently as she faded, finally free from the prison that was ascension.

Tony sank to his knees a feeling of shock crossing through him. Kat reappeared and pressed into Tony, but his mind was in overload. Tony had finally reached the end of his endurance and this time there would be no pushing his emotions to the side to deal with what was going on around him.

Trillions of minds echoed in his head and Tony wasn’t alone, every Guide in the room could feel them. However, the only ones truly suffering and unable to comeback were Tony, Gibbs, Daniel, and Carson. The rest turned to their Sentinels and were freed from the amazing, overwhelming connection to the Spirit Plane and their people.

Blair was trying to bring Tony back, while Jack was with Daniel, Chris was with Gibbs, and Spencer was with Carson. Blair immediately realized that it wasn’t going to work. “We’ve got to get them to their Sentinels. That’s the only thing that is going to break them from the connection to the Spirit Plane.” Blair told the worried group of Sentinels and fellow Guides. The President and Tom Morrow were looking on in worry, but staying to the back of the group along with the President's Psy-Null guards. Thankfully the one Guide of the Secret Service Agents was bonded to one of the Sentinels and was brought out of the Spirit Plane by his Sentinel.

“How are we going to find them?” Patrick asked the Alpha Prime.

“We take them to Atlantis and get Kindrick back in here.” Jack answered firmly.

“What? Why?” Henry Hayes asked, “Not that I have a problem with it, just wondering why?” Henry added, if the Guides had done what he thought they did then he was going to give them whatever he could.

“That’s where their mates are and Matthew is Carson’s mate.” Blair answered for Jack. “We need to get him here now and the rest to Atlantis now, any longer and we may not be able to bring them back. Then the rest of us need to prepare to start helping all of the Sentinels and Guides that came online in the last 15 minutes, because just earth’s population had quadrupled. Every planet on this realm in every universe that the Ori and Ancients had access to has Awakened Sentinels and Guides. They will be seeking out help and they will need it. Earth has the most training in how to deal with Sentinels and Guides as most places had Sentinels and Guides all but decimated.”

Jack nodded his agreement, but knew they needed to be cautious. “Our duty is to our people and our Tribe. We’ll set up some place that they can come talk to someone. We can’t expose Earth to anyone we are not one hundred percent sure of and if Oma was telling the truth the Wrath aren’t just in Pegasus and that is going to be a shitload of trouble. We’ve been preparing people for the Ori, not space vampires that look like Marilyn Manson knock offs.” Jack finished with a grimace when every Sentinel turned to look at him in horror.

“Are you fucking serious?” Don Flack demanded.

“Oh please tell me that’s a joke?” Steve begged, then nearly whimpered when the President, Cameron, Jack, and every Guide in the room shook their heads.

“How is this our lives?” David Rossi asked as he pulled Spencer closer worried for his young mate.

“I have not one fucking clue.” Cam answered, because there were still times he still stared around him in baffled silence.

The moment was fractured when Tom Morrow’s phone rang, followed my Leon Vance’s. They both shared a worried look. “Hello?” Leon asked his voice softer than it would be normally as he noticed it was his wife and Guide’s voice. He had wanted to bring her with him that day, but she was helping several Guides deal with the fact that NCIS had ended up losing their premier team, their senior ME and the most Junior ME, and Gerald. Now he was worried that she was suffering as the Guides in the room had.

“What?” Leon asked hoarsely. He sat down heavily. “No, no you did the right thing love. Have everyone you can help you get the newly online here to the Protectorate. If anyone gives you shit send them to me or better yet I’ll send Edward to you, he can bite anyone who so much as blinks at you wrong.” Leon huffed out a slight laugh.

“I’m your Sentinel and the Head of NCIS it’s my job to be an asshole to anyone who is mean to you.” He swallowed thickly, his face tight with worry. “I love you too. I’m on my way back.” Leon hung up the phone and looked over at the President and the Alpha Prime.

“Nearly all of my people have come online. They are stable, but shit... I have to get back over there and be with my Guide and my people.” Leon said as he snapped the toothpick between his teeth into another small shard.

“Leon you need to give up those toothpicks for a while.” Henry Hayes said with a bit of gallows humor.

“It’s either that or start smoking and Jackie would kick my ass and since I am in fact more scared of my Guide than anyone but Gibbs and DiNozzo on a tear that’s not going to happen.” Leon answered back with a slight smile, before frowning in worry.

“Sir, if you will forgive me I have to go be with my people. Take care of DiNozzo and Gibbs, they were the best of NCIS and we have lost some of the best assets of the agency because they followed them. You are going to need to take their people with them or you will have a war on your hands.” Leon warned as he stood and made his way to the door.

Tom Morrow snorted in agreement. “That won’t be a problem since they are on their way in with Tim and Michelle’s children. They should be walking through the door any moment. Though it would appear that Ducky and Gerald came online. Gerald is Ducky’s Guide.” Leon came to a stumbling halt and stared at Tom in shock.

“Well fuck.” Henry said before the Guides and Sentinels in the room that knew Doctor Mallard laughed in shock at the situation.

“Leon, Tom, where... there they are.” Ducky said as he calmly walked into the room and his eyes narrowed as Cameron made a choked sound and looked straight at Jimmy Palmer and whispered, “Guide.”

Jimmy let out a sob of relief and whispered, “Sentinel.”

Jimmy’s Spirit Animal, a Golden Retriever named Chandra, wagged her tail excitedly, but let Cameron’s Spirit Animal, a Golden Eagle named Martina land on her back.

Leon just sighed, “Take care of our people O’Neill they are some of the best and loyal people you will ever work with.”

Jack just nodded, he knew how to take care of people like the ones who had just become his.

 

**Chapter 4**

**Atlantis: The Sametime/Universal Awakening**

 

John Sheppard groaned and arched his back, rolling to his side and glaring up his younger brother, who grinned at him. “You are such an asshole Dave.” He said as he rubbed the pain in his left thigh from where Dave kicked him. Any higher and John would be in the infirmary from a kick to the groin.

David just laughed at him, so did his other brothers, Ronon Dex, and most of the military and Athosians in the training room. “No such thing as dirty tricks when you’re in a warzone.” Thomas, one of John’s younger twin brothers said in a perfect parody of John’s own voice.

Evan, John’s Second in Command, snorted as John flipped Thomas off. “Sir, never tell a baby brother something you don’t repeated when you’re knocked on your ass.” Evan’s brother Ethan waved a hand at Evan from where he and Daniel Sheppard were sparing with a couple of the Marines and younger Athosians.

One thing the expedition members learned very quickly that was just because Thomas, Daniel Sheppard, and Ethan Lorne were all civilians didn’t mean the three couldn’t kick their asses. Alex and Derek Sheppard were asskickers as well, even though only John and David were in the military.

Patrick Sheppard made sure his sons were all well trained when they came online so early in their lives. The fact that of all of them Daniel was the only Guide didn’t make one bit of difference in the Sheppard family. If anything it made Daniel meaner.

The same was the case with Ethan Lorne, he was a Guide and the baby of his family. He was also mean and deadly. The fact that all of the Sheppard brothers and both Lorne brothers  had taken training with Ronon Dex helped to add to the deadly edge of the men.

Ronon Dex had come to be with them when the former Runner of the Wraith had stumbled upon John Sheppard’s team during a mission. Rodney and Ronon had recognized each other as Guide and Sentinel. Despite the initial contact between Ronon and the others, John and Rodney had been unable to leave the man behind, not just because of Ronon and Rodney’s connection, but because of what the former Runner had suffered.

Learning what the Wraith had done to his Sentinel had nearly sent Rodney feral and it had also began a deep and abiding hatred of the Ancients in Rodney. John’s best friend had always admired the Ancient’s technology, but had never liked them as a people. In fact if John were to be honest, Rodney hated them with everything within him even before coming to Atlantis. Nearly ascending had made that hatred in a burning rage.

The only people that matched Rodney’s hatred for the Ancients was Rodney’s hatred of the Wraith and the Genii. Rodney’s grief for Sedata was matched with Ronon’s as he had nearly lost his Sentinel before he ever met him, and for a while he thought that Ronon would not allow a relationship between them due to the grief that Ronon carried and the fact that Ronon felt he did not deserve his Guide in his life.

It was only after John threatened to shoot Ronon and Daniel and Ethan took turns hunting Ronon down and punching him in the face hard enough to knock Ronon on his ass that the Sedatan began to see that rejecting Rodney was worse than accepting the Guide.

Rodney had come to John not long after he and Ronon had bonded and told John what he had learned about Sedata. The trip to Sedata that followed had worn everyone on the Gate teams to the bone and Ronon had taken to running off the pain while Rodney had thrown himself into researching the information the group had found on Sedata.

John had exhausted himself training with his brothers and Evan Lorne before finally calling it an evening and going to his quarters to take a shower and watch a movie in the hopes that the anger and grief within him would calm enough that John could sleep.

 

**Flashback**

 

John looked up from his TV at the chime of his door and stood to make his way over and open it. When he saw Rodney, who looked even more devastated and furious, John pulled the Guide into the room.

“What happened? I thought you and Elizabeth were going to spend the night searching the databases for information to figure out what the Ancient beacon we found on Sedata was supposed to do?”

“I did, we did. I hate the Ancients! I fucking hate them John.” Rodney said furiously, tightly shielding so that he wouldn’t bleed his anger and horror all over everyone.

“Okay, that I know buddy. Tell me what happened?” John said as he carefully pulled Rodney over to his couch.

Rodney took a deep breath and let John’s presence sooth him. Rodney loved John like a brother. Most people were surprised by the friendship the two had, especially by how fast it had developed and until Rodney met Ronon several wondered if the two were mates and were just too clueless to face up to it.

“From what Elizabeth and I were able to figure out, and we’ll need Daniel both your brother and Daniel Jackson, to backup our data, the Ancient’s beacon was what made the Wraith go to Sedata to begin with.  _ It had to be turned on by an Ancient! _ Not someone with the gene, but an actual fucking ascended Ancient.” Rodney was shaking with fury and John could only stare in shock for a moment.

“What?  _ Rodney? _ ” John whispered in horror.

Rodney nodded angry tears filling his eyes.

“They killed them John. The Ancients murdered Sedata and they used the Wraith to do it.” Rodney clenched his fists tightly.

“Why would they do that?” John asked his throat tight with fear and agony.

“I don’t know. I honestly don’t know.” Rodney said helplessly. “But I’m going to find out.”

 

**End of Flashback**

 

Three weeks later, when it seemed that Elizabeth Weir and Rodney were on the edge of finding out the truth they were both nearly ascended. Elizabeth had no memory of the time she was partially ascended, but Rodney did and he couldn’t, not wouldn’t, couldn’t say what happened.

Rodney had demanded that they find a way to block the Ancients off Atlantis and before they could figure it out on their own, Atlantis gave them the ability. John wondered just what Atlantis knew that she couldn’t tell them either. Though John and several others thought that they felt a presence, not Atlantis or anyone they knew, on the City and in it was anger, sorrow, and helplessness. Before they could figure out what was going on the feelings disappeared.

John and Rodney had agreed that it was best to never mention the truth about the beacon again. Neither wanted to take the chance that the Ancients would find another way to attack them. Elizabeth had agreed with their decision immediately, Rodney had locked the data behind his personal passwords and no one, not even Miko could figure out how to break the code as it was based on Sedatan math, military codes, and Ronon’s regional language.

Ronon and Peter Grodin knew, of course they did, Ronon was Rodney’s Sentinel and Peter was Elizabeth’s. There were very few to no secrets between a Sentinel and Guide and this was one secret that was to big to keep from one another.

It had also been decided that for Elizabeth and Peter’s safety that they would make a secured site for Elizabeth to meet with different people off of Atlantis. She had gained a well deserved reputation for helping settle peace and trade agreements and twice weddings between different planets and people in the Pegasus Galaxy.

The people of Earth had been more widely accepted, protected, cared for, and trusted by the people of Pegasus because they had come with so many Guides and Sentinels. The people of the Pegasus Galaxy revered Guides and Sentinels.

Most Guides and Sentinels had been hunted to near extinction by the Wraith and no Guides had made it off of Sedata, only the Sentinels were used as Runners.

Rodney had been able to ease Ronon’s grief by telling him that most of Sedata had ascended and had already been reborn.

It was of the few things that Rodney was able to tell them and one of the few that had eased the white hot fury burning in all of them at the betrayal of the Ancients. It was ironic that the Genii claimed the Ancients as their ancestors as they were the most like the Ancients, yet had not one Sentinel or Guide among their populace.

Elizabeth had flat out told Koyla that his people were too corrupt for the Gift to his face and that no Sentinel or Guide could develop their gifts in such an oppressive environment. It was also the truth that the city was not actually created by an Ancient, rather by people who were drawn in and ‘adopted’ by the Ancients. Their abilities and technology claimed by the Ancients, who were as bad as the Ori.

Both claimed countless civilizations and existed by the worship and devotion of those that had been claimed or stolen by the Ancients. Merlin, Morgana, and Janus were actually from a long dead civilization along with several people who were directly responsible for the creation of the gates and Atlantis.

John wondered if Sedata was destroyed because they refused to worship the Ancients and because they had such advanced technology. It was telling that the most advanced race in Pegasus after the Wraith were Sedata, a group of hidden Asgard, and the Replicators that the Ancients created and who hated humans.

The Replicators were destroyed down to the last one and the Atlanteans had moved to their planet using the technology there to create a safe place for the refugees to live. It helped that there was a planetary shield already in place and that it was designed to kill any Wraith that made it to the planet immediately.

John had hated to kill out the Replicators, he had wanted peace, but they hated humans so much that destroying them was the only thing that they could do. It helped others and no one in the Pegasus Galaxy had questioned the need for it. That was another thing that helped the people of Earth being so Guide and Sentinel heavy along with their reputation for wanting to help bring safety and peace to the people of Pegasus.

Ironically it also made for an excellent relationship with the Asgard, who were frankly feral, and resolved the problem that the Asgard of the Milky Way Galaxy were facing. Getting the Pegasus Asgard to their homeworld to kick Ori ass had been another help to the people of Pegasus as several had returned to join Atlantis and to go to the Replicator homeworld to help General Marshall Sumner, his mate Colonel Dean Bates, and those that lived there year round. Things had vastly improved from that first year when they were all wondering if they would survive to make contact with Earth again.

“Get up and stop wool gathering old man.” Dave teased and John flipped him off causing laughter to fill the room once again.

John had just stood again when Daniel and every Guide in the room collapsed as their Spirit Animals disappeared. The Sentinels in the room rushed to their Guides, all across the city people were Awakening. John shuddered under the weight of so many coming into their power, he felt a bit weak kneed and in that moment he knew the world as he knew it was going to change far more than it had when he learned of aliens.

 

**Atlantis Two Hours Later**

 

Rodney was sitting next to John watching as Sentinels came in and were united with their Guides, bringing them out of the contact with the Spirit Plane. John had stopped being amazed roughly three minutes into the phenomenon. Mostly he was watching still because Doctor Jennifer Keller wasn’t someone that Rodney trusted and John had a feeling if she wasn’t watched she’d start experimenting on their people. As it was she was being kept away from the Guides for the most part, she was just there in case one of the Guides or their new Sentinels needed medical treatment.

Unfortunately the doctors that John wanted were on Olympus, the former Replicator homeworld, and Earth so John just had to deal with her at the moment. The first chance John got he was replacing her, because her reaction to being monitored and told she couldn’t test the Guides in their current state and been met with anger and hostility.

John had practically had to threaten to put Keller in a Wraith cage to get her to control her attitude. There was absolutely no way someone so useless and vicious was going to be near his people.

John had contacted Earth as soon as he could and been told that his step-father General Jack O’Neill, his father Patrick Sheppard, and several other people would be there within an hour. Jack O’Neill would be bringing more Doctors, returning Carson, who had just bonded thanks to the situation, and a few new people for the project. He was also bringing the Alpha Primes of North America with him.

John’s stepfather had told him that they would also be explaining what happened and had ordered that Anne Teldy be on the base when he got there. John had nearly laughed, Anne was in charge of security on the base that month and she took her job very seriously.

As it was Anne was standing a few feet away from him, glaring at Keller and the young doctor was keeping as much distance between herself and Anne’s Spirit Animal Coleman, a Black Mamba one of the most poisonous snakes on Earth, as could as the Spirit Animal never looked away from Keller.

To say that Anne disliked Jennifer Keller would be the understatement of the year. Anne wasn’t the only one. Rodney hadn’t realized it until it was too late, but Jennifer had had a plan to come and try to get Rodney to date her.

When Jennifer found out about his relationship with Ronon and that he was a Guide she had tried to get people to help her destroy their already fragile relationship. All that she had done was turn people against as everyone she approached reported her actions to John and Elizabeth.

Jennifer had also become jealous of Doctor Katie Brown, a Guide and ex-lover of Rodney’s and tried to get people to side with her about destroying Katie’s reputation and getting Katie thrown off of Atlantis. It had backfired spectacularly.

Trying to destroy a bond between Sentinel and Guide would have been enough to anger most people, but going after Katie nearly got Jennifer’s pretty face caved in. The only reason Jennifer wasn’t already back on Earth was that the IOA refused to take Jennifer off of Atlantis because of her research.

Now Jennifer had taken one step too far and John could get rid of her for good. John was looking forward to seeing the look on the little bitch’s face when Jennifer realized that Jack was going to take her back to Earth. It was going to be epic and Rodney was going to laugh at her and John was going to eat popcorn and enjoy the Rodney-Snide Show.

John desperately wanted to know what had happened, but the Guides didn’t seem able to communicate at the moment, even Rodney. It was worrying John and everyone of the Sentinels on base.

The Guides Spirit Animals were just as tight lipped, though they would become excited as each new pairing was made. Brianne was too busy glaring at Jennifer Keller to say anything. This had the rest of the Guides glaring at her as well.

Daniel’s Spirit Animal had snapped his teeth at her more than once. Jennifer was slowly being edged out of the infirmary and John wasn’t sure he cared.

“I am only trying to help.” Jennifer protested when Radek nearly bit her for coming too close to his newly Awakened Guide once again.

“You are a corrupt liar.” Radek said with a sneer.

Doctor Calvin Kavanaugh shuddered and pressed closer to Radek, trying to get as far away from her as possible. That seriously pissed John off and he spotted someone who was now going to make it possible for him to get Jennifer out of the infirmary.

“MPs. Confine her to quarters, if she tries anything slap her into the Wraith cage.” John told the men standing outside the door glaring at the Doctor. 

“You can’t do this! My job is to help these people.” Jennifer protested as her arm was grabbed by the female Marine Captain who just walked into the room, Captain Jordan Cavanaugh ignored Keller and started to lead Keller from the room.

“What you want is to experiment on them and that shit isn’t happening.” Akemi, Miko’s Sun Bear, growled out from her place by her human.

Jennifer screamed in fury and shocked everyone as she sent a hot burn of emotion at Miko, only to be knocked out cold by Jordan. “Wraith cage,” Jordan growled at the two MP’s just outside the infirmary door.

“Yes ma’am.” The agreed in unison and one of them picked Keller up and carried her off.

“That is one crazy bitch.” Jordan drawled out and she shrugged off the urge to go beat the woman senseless. That much anger wouldn’t be good for her people and her job was to help protect them until they came back to themselves.

Jordan started over to where the Guides were all lying, just raising an eyebrow when some of the Sentinels went to growl at her. They immediately stopped and looked at the female Sentinel sheepishly.

John just grinned at her. Jordan had only been on base for a few days, but she was as dangerous as Anne and as snarky as Rodney. Needless to say she was very well liked so far. Cavanaugh was actually an ME and had come to Atlantis to take up that position on base.

When not working as an ME she worked in the infirmary and snarked at people who got injured doing stupid things. Anne and Jordan often spared and scared people to death.

When Jordan got to Jonas Quinn she blinked in surprise, at first John thought it was because it was the first time she had met the alien Guide, but then she spoke. “Hello Guide.” Jordan said quietly, laughing slightly when her Spirit Guide Andrew, a leopard, twined himself around Jonas’s Spirit Animal, Isiani, a cougar like animal.

Jonas smiled brightly, “Hello Sentinel.”

“Day of surprises.” Jordan said as she straightened up and took Jonas’s hand in her own and led him from the infirmary. John shook his head in wonder.

“Wow.” Anne breathed as the two left.

“I’m wondering if somewhere there is a Chaos God getting high?” Ronon asked looked at John in disbelief.

“Probably, there is a whole  _ host _ of Chaos Gods getting high.” Marcus Stackhouse said from his place at his mate’s side.

“Agreed.” Several people said at once.

“Well that sucked.” Rodney said as he sat up.

“Rodney! Are you okay there buddy?” John asked, even as Ronon hugged his mate tightly.

“Yeah, but things have changed majorly, not just here, but everywhere.” Rodney said as he clung to Ronon for a moment.

“What kind of things?” John asked with a frown. “Does it have to do with all of the Sentinels and Guides Awakening?”

“Yes, everything to do with it.” Cal answered as he sat up and hugged Radek.

“The Ancients and the Ori are gone, completely gone, the Ancients were even more fucked up than we thought.” Rodney said grimly, “We were all taken to the Spirit Realm to destroy the Ancients for what they did to Sentinels and Guides.”

Rodney took a deep breath and then he told them everything that had happened on Earth, from the moment that Jethro Gibbs was shot and the meeting between Gibbs, Tony, and the others on Earth. Finally to the battle with the Ancients and Oma Desala’s final warning before she faded.

John wasn’t the only one to stare at him in stunned silence. “The Program, Atlantis, the fact that we travel to other worlds has been completely blown open. All over every Universe what we know is known by every Guide who has been Awakened. Billions of Sentinels and Guides are now Awakened. We’re down two enemies, but the Wraith are going to be a bigger problem than we thought.” Rodney told them.

“Also, the Ancients did destroy Sedata, they had the most Sentinels and Guides next to Earth’s population and unlike others they couldn’t get anyone there to join with them.” Cal said quietly.

“They also had a weapon that would destroy the Wraith, that was why the Ancients set off the beacon.” Peter Grodin said with a grimace of pain.

“The Wraith were created to do more than help the Ancients ascend.” Daniel said quietly, tears trying to shake loose.

“What? What?” John asked his chest heaving with the horror of everything he was hearing. Ronon was gripping the mattress on either side of Rodney’s hips so that he wouldn’t hurt Rodney with his greater strength.

“They needed people to worship them so that they would stay in power, it also meant that Guide’s in this universe were more willing to ascend and give them power. They created Wraith in every Universe they were part of. The Wraith here are the only ones that are awake, but the others are going to start waking up soon.” Rodney cleared his throat.

“The Genii were right they are descendants of the Ancients, we are the descendants of the people the Ancients absorbed into their collective. The gene we associate with the Ancients is actually from those people, Atlantis’s creator, Morgana, Merlin, Janus, and several others are all that was left. The Ori killed the rest. Every Sentinel and Guide come from Earth, from our ancestors. Every planet with Sentinels and Guides were seeded from the Milky Way Galaxy and from Earth itself.” Peter said his face tight with pain.

“The people of Sedata, of Athos, they were our brothers and sisters, the Ancients took them from us.” Cal said his face wet with tears.

John felt sick and closed his eyes as he felt and smelled the grief of the people listening to them. All over the city people began to mourn what they lost long before any of them set foot in Pegasus. It felt as though the City itself was mourning what had been done to all of them, for what the Ancients and the Ori had done.

The natives of the galaxy joined the Terrans in their grief and sense of betrayal. Teyla walked to John hugging him tightly as the Sentinel fought to keep control of his emotions. “They are dead John, our people they are avenged by the power of the heart and minds of the Guides. It does not remove our losses, but it means that we do not have to fear that the Ancients and the Ori will take more from us.” Teyla’s fierce strength caused John to let out a shuddery breath.

John let out a deep breath and nodded, clinging to his friend for a moment before stepping aside with a nod. “John?” Rodney said quietly.

John looked at Rodney and saw his own anger and grief reflected in his best friend’s eyes. “I know that Jack and your Dad were going to tell you when they got here, but I know that you need to be prepared, you and Anne both.” Rodney said with a voice made husky with exhaustion.

“What is it?” John asked with a worried frown.

“Tony DiNozzo and Jethro Gibbs.” Rodney said leaning against Ronon and slowly relaxing.

“What about them?” Anne asked in confusion, staring at the Guide she called a friend.

“Tony is a Alpha Prime Shaman, Jethro Gibbs is a Alpha Guardian Guide.” Rodney said slowly.

“Okay, we knew that Dad was bringing powerful members of the Community with them.” John said slowly, looking at his friend in worry and confusion.

“John... Tony is your mate. Jethro is Anne’s.” Rodney told them carefully.

John felt shock roll through him and he wasn’t alone, next to him Anne gasped and sat down in the chair behind her.

“I- Rodney are you sure?” John asked, he had to be sure, the thought of having a mate after so long alone, it hurt to hope, so he had stopped hoping for his mate after Afghanistan.

“Yes, I wouldn’t have said anything otherwise.” Rodney promised, his eyes warm and caring. In that moment John loved his best friend fiercely, John wasn’t sure of what he had done to deserve a friend like McKay, but he was so very thankful for it.

“Oh God, my mate, my Guide is coming here?” Anne asked, her eyes wide with hope and wonder. Like John she had been online since she was very young. The thought of finally having her Guide was overwhelming, but also relieving.

No one said anything for a long moment, then came the call that would change the lives of most of the people on base for good. “Off world activation. Sir, we have a call coming from Alpha Base, it is your fathers and the people they are bringing with them.”

“Tell them we’re in the infirmary.” John said with a husky laugh of confused wonder.

When the group reached the infirmary John was shocked at the power rolling through the group. Anne and John both moved before they could stop themselves and John lost track of everything but his Guide’s hand in his own and the connection their minds made as Tony came back to his physical body as John touched him.

Nearby Anne was echoing his actions and felt peace for the first time since she came online as a child trying to protect her babysitter from the man trying to rob Anne’s house. Anne blinked back tears over how deeply her mate had mourned before Tony came into his life. It was also a glimpse into the man who was now her Alpha Prime.

“Hi.” Tony said softly to John, who choked out a sound of relief and buried his face in Tony’s throat. Tony brought his free hand up and buried it in John’s hair, breathing out a sound of contentment and joy at the presence of his Sentinel.

“What is that?” Blair asked, his head tipped to the side.

“What is what?” Rodney asked confused.

“Is this city alive?” Reid asked wide-eyed as he looked around him in wonder.

“She is, in a way.” Rodney agreed.

“Not a she, I mean I can feel a female, but there are two of them and one is definitely male.” Reid said, frowning slightly.

They all stared at him, Reid flushed slightly at the looks he was receiving, some in surprise, some in contemplation.

“That would explain much.” Radek said sharing a look with Rodney, who nodded and tilted his head to the side causing Radek to nod back.

“What do you mean?” Elizabeth asked and was relieved to see that she wasn’t the only one confused by Rodney and Radek’s silent conversation.

“Often when we are working with the systems it seems as though we are communicating with two separate beings as we talk to Atlantis.” Radek answered for them.

“Okay, but why is it that we can feel them both now?” Miko asked, not surprised by the fact that Atlantis was two rather than one being, it was something that she had long thought as well.

“Maybe the Ancients did something to them?” Peter asked with a slight frown.

“They did.” A male voice said, they all turned to look at a dark haired man barely out of his teens, more a shade than a solid body, standing near Ethan Lorne.

“Who are you? Atlantis?” John asked as he and Tony straightened away from each other.

“I’m part of Atlantis yeah, my name is Alexander Harris, I prefer Xander though.” Xander said looking painfully down at Ethan.

“You’re a Sentinel and you are from Earth.” Blair said sharply. “Xander Harris, White Knight Seer of the Council of Slayers. You disappeared seven years ago, along with Dawn Summers, the Great Key of the Powers.” Shocked gasps came from everyone in the room.

Xander smiled sadly as a small dark haired female came to stand at his side. The willowy teenage girl smiled at them all shyly and took Xander’s hand in her own. “Seven years ago Earth had the battle for London just a year after the battle for LA and two years after the fall of Sunnydale. Someone we thought was our friend made a deal with the Powers and the Ancients. If they helped us win the battles then our former friend would tie Xan and me to the Powers and the Ancients in whatever way would help them the most.” Dawn said her eyes darkening with grief. “We would have done it willingly to save everyone, but she didn’t even give us a chance to decide on our own, or to say goodbye to our family and friends.”

“They helped, we won, and the way the Ancients and the Powers chose to use us was to have us take the place of the previous souls that were tied to Atlantis. Apparently someone on Earth did something and it freed the last two from their hold. Even though Atlantis was abandoned at the time they knew you guys would be coming so they tied us here. We couldn’t really communicate or tell you anything because of the way we were soul bound to the City, but that changed today.” Xander said quietly, looking down at Ethan in longing.

“We tried our best to protect all of you, but you got here not long after we were starting to meld fully with the systems, plus the assholes were also making it so that we couldn’t really fix all of the issues the City had and were purposely hampering our power levels. With them gone we can start making more of the zippy things and fixing the power issue for good.” Dawn said as she rocked back on her heels.

“That’s great, but how do we get you guys out of there?” Evan asked sharply, he wasn’t the only one to realize that Xander was Ethan’s Sentinel.

“It would take all of the Guides on base, plus a really powerful Witch to free us without killing anyone.” Xander answered honestly.

“Then we’ll get you a Witch and all of us will help you.” Rodney said firmly.

Dawn stared at him in awe. “You want to help us?”

Xander’s breath stuttered. “But... what?”

It fucking hurt to see the shocked amazement on the faces of the two young people, what had their lives been that they were shocked that anyone cared enough to help them.

“You are our family, we are going to help you.” John promised for all of them.

Dawn and Xander’s relief and love filled the city. They were going to be free.

“You’ve been taking care of me since I came here, haven’t you. More than with the others.” Ethan said quietly, he had come to while they were all talking, but hadn’t said anything. Xander flushed and ducked his head. “I’m... you are my Guide. I couldn’t not take care of you.”

“Thank you.” Ethan said gently, Xander blinked back tears.

“I’m sorry, I have to, I’m sorry.” Xander choked out as he disappeared. Dawn ducked her head and Evan pulled his brother into his arms as he began to cry.

“We need a secure line to Earth. I need to talk to the President and Rupert Giles.” Jack said as he headed back to the gate room, Blair Sandburg and Jim Ellison at his side. No one was going to rest until Dawn and Xander were free.

**The End**

So once again I have created a new series and honestly I can’t even be surprised by it. I have no idea when a new part will be added, but I want to thank everyone for their kind words and I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

 


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